Annual Brian's Run spans generations

Staff photos by Tom Kelly IV
Runners, run along the Goshen Road part of the course in West Goshen Township. The 35th annual Brian's Run in West Chester took place Sunday afternoon December 2, 2012 starting and ending at Henderson High School.

WEST CHESTER – About 1,000 runners turned out Sunday afternoon to test their endurance in the 35th annual Brian’s Run held at West Chester Henderson High School.

“A day like this is a runner’s paradise, 50 degrees, sunny and perfect,” said John Manion, race organizer and borough councilman.

The race is a 5-mile loop that takes runners through West Chester and surrounding neighborhoods. Children’s races are held before the main event.

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Manion said one of the best aspects of the race is its generational appeal.

“You get dads out here with their kid and their running with their grandfather,” Manion said.

The run began in 1978 as a one-time fundraising event to benefit Brian Bratcher, a Henderson High School football player who sustained a life-challenging spinal cord injury at the age of 15 during a scrimmage.

Paralyzed, Bratcher’s family and friends decided to find a way to raise money, eventually settling upon a race with the goal of raising $500.

Surpassing their estimates, the race garnered 2,000 runners and $20,000 in its first year to aid in Bratcher’s expenses.

Having witnessed the success of the race, Bratcher asked for the money to be donated to others. Since 1979, the race has benefited various charities and causes.

Proceeds from the race this year will go to Homes for Our Troops, a national nonprofit that builds specially adapted homes for severely wounded veterans at no cost to the veterans.

“What we always want to do is keep with the theme of paralysis and so we found this charity which was awesome and what we can do is, look for someone who lives in the area, Pennsylvania, Maryland, somewhere close that can benefit them,” Manion said.

The race changed from a 10k in 2009. According to organizers, talk of ending the race began a few years ago as participation began to drop off. Realizing its place in the community, Manion decided to take up organizing the event for the past 4 years.

Manion said people are attracted to the race because of its legacy and altruistic nature. While he has come to understand the pain of organizing the event, he said seeing the runner’s cross the finish line on race day makes it all worthwhile.

“It’s an incredible West Chester thing that everybody knows, it’s automatic,” Manion said. “It’s part of the fabric of West Chester.”